


Scars Remind Us That We're Alive

by okayatbest



Series: Eighteen [9]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Hurt Niall, M/M, but happy ending, kind of sad, niall's a bit sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 11:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4562337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okayatbest/pseuds/okayatbest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry comes home from work to find Niall crying. Now Harry has to help Niall get through the past.</p><p> </p><p>Or I really suck at summaries but I promise the story doesn't suck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scars Remind Us That We're Alive

To say Harry had a long day would be one hell of an understatement. Things at the bakery had been anything but pleasant. The day was filled with one bad thing after another, and right now all Harry wanted was a nice night with his boyfriend. Preferably with a couple of movies and a nice cuddle.

But, walking into their house Harry instantly knew something was wrong. Usually the house was filled with music and Niall would be seen in the kitchen singing while he cooked or lying on the couch watching a game or some cooking show. But today Harry was met with silence, and that was scary.

After checking both the kitchen and the living room to make sure Niall wasn’t asleep or anything, he quickly went to check the bedroom. At first, it seemed the room was empty, but then he heard it. A small whimpering sound. Quickly turning on the light, Harry was met with a heartbreaking scene. There, sitting in front of their full length mirror was Niall. But the real scary part was that he was sitting there crying. More accurately, sobbing. Harry couldn't get there quick enough.

“Babe? Ni, baby, what’s wrong?” Harry grabbed Niall, wrapping him in Harry’s arms, hoping that by cuddling the boy Harry could offer some comfort. Unfortunately, this caused the boy to sob even harder. “Niall. You have to talk to me. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong. Now tell me what’s wrong. Please, babe.”

Unfortunately, Niall didn’t say anything, but he did point down to his left knee. His bad knee. Harry was instantly terrified.

“Did you hurt your knee? Is that why you're crying? Does it hurt?” the words were rushing out of his mouth so quickly, way quicker than his usual slow drawl. He hoped the sooner he let them out, the sooner Niall could answer him, and the sooner Harry could fix it. Or at least try his hardest. But Niall was shaking his head and Harry was confused. “It’s not hurt? But, but what’s wrong with it then. Babe, I really don’t understand.” Harry’s confusion and questions only seemed to cause Niall to sob more and it was starting to really break Harry’s heart. “Listen. Ni, I’m scared. Okay? You're crying so much and baby, I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do. Tell me what’s wrong with your knee.” By now, Harry was near tears himself. Completely terrified for his boyfriend. But as Harry started crying, Niall seemed to become angry.

“What’s wrong with it? Fucking look at it, Harry. It’s pretty fucking obvious, don’t you think?”

“What? Niall, are you talking about your scar?” Harry asked, voiced laced with confusion.

“Of course I am. Look at It. It’s hideous. And it’s just there. All the fucking time, it’s _there_. And it’s so ugly. It represents so many memories I wished I could forget. This knee has caused me so much pain. Caused _us_ so much pain. And I can never forget. Fuck, Harry I just want to forget sometimes. But this stupid fucking knee is always right there, always reminding me. I hate how i look with it. I hate that I have to see that every time I change, or every time I shower, or every time we make love. It’s always there. How can you stand it? How can you actually find me attractive with this fucking thing?” By now Niall had started crying again, his anger fading away to tears. Harry shedding his own tears after hearing Niall’s words. He never knew Niall carried this pain.

“How can you find me attractive with my tattoos?”

“Harry, what the fuck are you talking about. That's completely different."

"No, it's not. Now, just wait and hear me out. Please. Think about it. You said your scar represents memories, just like my tattoos. Some good, some bad. Just like my tattoos, your scar tells a story. Maybe not a happy one, but it's still your story. Our story.“

“But it’s still so ugly, Harry.”

“But it’s not,babe. Do you know what I think about when I see your knee?”

“No,” Niall answered, sniffing a little, but no longer crying.

“I think about how I nearly lost you. How completely terrified I was. Niall, I’ve never been that scared before in my entire life. And I think about how strong you are. How much of a fighter you are and it makes me so proud. I know your knees are important to you. I get that. But so much more could have happened. When you had surgery, I was a wreak. I thought they'd screw up and you’d die. I thought I’d lose you. But your scar reminds me that I didn’t. Your scar proves that you’re alive. I still get to keep you. And I’ll never take any of that for granted.

Tears slowly fell down Niall’s face as he took in Harry’s words. “Harry, babe, I’m so sorry. I never thought of how all of this made you feel. I always forget that you were right there with me. With me through it all. I guess I’ve been too focused on the negative parts and totally forgot that I’m alive. After all that. I’m alive. And I still have you. It still sucks having to remember that and it probably will always hurt. But you’re right, It could have gone another way. And at least I have you to remind me of that, right?” The small smile on Niall’s face was enough to reassure Harry. Of course this wasn’t over. This was something they would always deal with. But it was a step in the right direction.

  
“Of course, Ni. You’ll always have me.”

**Author's Note:**

> I decided for this series to keep Niall's knee injury, but for this story he injured some other way. I'd say more, but that's for another story.


End file.
